Digital Reconstruction of the U.S. Base in Baltra, Galápagos Islands: A Forgotten Chapter of WWII in South America

Abstract. During World War II, Ecuador authorized U.S. military installations, including a major base on Baltra Island that supported Panama Canal defense and housed over 3,000 personnel. Its construction, in 1941, substantially transformed local landscapes and ecosystems. Returned to Ecuador in 1946, the base’s infrastructure was largely dismantled, abandoned, or destroyed prior to withdrawal. Our project produced a 3D digital reconstruction of the Baltra base as it existed during WWII using photogrammetry, remote sensing, and archaeological research. We digitized and georeferenced historical aerial photographs and maps, reviewed archival documentation, and processed remote sensing data. Drone-based field surveys generated orthophotos and DEMs, enabling accurate 3D modeling of key structures. According to our study, Baltra Island once hosted extensive WWII-era infrastructure, with 660 mapped structures in 1959, most of which had originally been roofed. Today, only a few remnants remain, and modern development is concentrated around the Seymour Galápagos Airport and the Ecuadorian Air Force Base. Roads and some concrete structures persist, but most 1940s buildings are abandoned or dismantled. A 3D reconstruction and fieldwork identified key historical facilities and measured surviving platforms. Ecologically, Baltra shows strong recovery: yellow land iguanas and native flora have rebounded, supported by restoration programs and minimal modern disturbance, creating a landscape where historical layers and renewed ecosystems coexist. Though short-lived, the U.S. presence left an important material, ecological, and social legacy in the Galápagos Islands.